This invention relates to a method for treating depression in humans with d-fenfluramine.
Bipolar depressions often, but not always, are characterized by alternating periods of depression and hypomania. At the present time, there are available a wide variety of modes of treating patients afflicted with bipolar depression including psychiatric treatment and the administration of pharmaceutical compositions to the patient.
Prior to the present invention, the efficacy of d-fenfluramine in treating depression is specifically contraindicated, Physician's Desk Reference, 1985, page 1658. The d-fenfluramine has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,198,834 to have an anorexigenic effect. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,445 discloses that d-fenfluramine can be administered to patients having a syndrome of abnormal carbohydrate craving between meals in order to reduce the craving of carbohydrate without inhibiting the intake of protein by the patient.